Published Quarterly
Please enjoy our October Newsletter. Bring your 2016 photos to the museum so they can be added to the time capsule and the museum’s collection.
The newest edition of Vintage View contains articles on Kevin Moriarity; Left Clark; Rev. Helenor Davisson; Ramon Sayler; Punt, Pass and Kick compiled by Myles Beeching and Ernie Reyes; the Pioneer Village; Chuck Bahler; and Jasper, the Bicentennial Bison. Send $14.00 to the museum if you want a copy mailed to you.
This issue will include information from some of the collections we have received in the last year. Several of the articles reprinted in this first newsletter for 2016 were printed 120 years ago in the People’s Pilot published January 2, 1896. The newspaper was included in a collection of Hugh Tom Kirk materials provided to the museum by Karen Marr. The newspaper includes photos of people, homes, churches, and businesses existing in 1896. Also included are many biographies of local businessmen with familiar names like Randle, Mills, Willis, Parkison, Osborn, Ferguson, Washburn, Thompson, Kahler, Nowels, Robinson, Healy, Paxton, and McCoy. Over the next year, we plan to include a couple of these biographies or articles about the businesses run by these people in each 2016 issue.
We will also be highlighting Donna Strole’s article about The Rover that was provided by Rose Nesius. Unfortunately we do not have space to show everything that has been contributed, but we do want to emphasize how much we appreciate each and every contribution to our collections.
Download and Read: JCHS newsletter JAN 2016
David Vohlken’s collection of Native American artifacts is on display now at the Rensselaer Library and the museum is host to a display through the end of the year on Rev. Helenor Alter Davisson.
Read more about these collections, as well as the work the society has been doing this summer — painting the Parr post office, running the historical village at the Jasper County Fair, restoring tombstones and more.
Also check out the latest issue of Vintage Views, featuring a photo of the Wright’s Furniture fire and several articles.
Download and Read: JCHS newsletter OCT 2015
St. Joseph’s College is now in its 126th year of serving our community. You can read more about this institution in the latest issue of our newsletter, as well as the 1938 County Fair, an update on the Rev. Helenor Davisson Site, Monnett School for Girls and Photographer Harry Parker.
Additionally, you can take a peek at some of the old St. Joseph’s College postcards from our museum collection. We would like to obtain additional college postcards so they can be included in a Jasper County postcard book that we plan to publish next year. It is going to take a lot of post cards to fill a tiny book, so we invite the Jasper County and Saint Joe communities at large to contact us if you are able to help.
For many years the Chicago Bears trained at St. Joseph’s College. Unfortunately, the Historical Society does not have any records or photos of their time in Rensselaer. Can anyone help our curator eliminate this gap in our collection?
Finally, The historic buildings at the fairgrounds including the log cabin, post office, Roosevelt privy, and school house will be open during the Jasper County Fair Sunday, July 19 from 1-4, Tuesday, July 21 from 1-4, and Thursday, July 23 from 1-4.
The society will also have a table at the Volunteer Fair in the Community building from 4 pm to 7 pm on Sunday, July 19. Come visit us and pick up a copy of the latest Vintage Views while you are there.
Be sure to visit the Jasper County Historical Society between now and August 15 to enjoy the fantastic exhibit on Charles Halleck. The exhibit was created by Museum Curator Judy Kanne.
Halleck, a native of DeMotte, served 16 terms in the House of Representatives. He was Majority Leader from 1947-1949 and 1953-1955 and Minority Leader from 1959-1965.
Read more about this man of history in the April Newsletter:
The 23rd issue of Vintage Views is now available for purchase at the historical museum.
The cover pictures Nane Long Loy (in Junior Red Cross attire) and Ruth Harriet Eger McFall collecting for starving people in Belgium after World War I.
County Historian Judy Kanne’s article is titled “A Lady Named Nane Long Loy”. Other articles and photos relate to Morris Jacks’ store on wheels, J A Grant & Son Motor Freight, Hollis “Holly” Hayes, the Rensselaer Lions Club, and more.
Also included are a tribute to the 2014 state champion football team from Rensselaer and a reprint of an article about the Bomber name by Michael Campbell.
The cost is $10 plus $3.00 for postage if you want it mailed.
Read more: